me, in the mode of collecting the revenue of the
empire, rendering the board of Armenian government bankers useless,
and they were directed to settle up their accounts and close their
offices. This reduced some of them to poverty, and stripped them all
of a great part of their power. The Greek Patriarch was deposed, on
complaint by the British Ambassador of his interference with matters
in the Ionian Islands; and the Armenian Patriarch found himself in
trouble with his own people. He was too overbearing, and was
obliged, in November, 1840, to resign his office, to avoid a
forcible deposition; and it was a significant sign of the times,
that Stepan, who had been ejected from office on account of his
forbearance towards the Protestants, was now re-elected; first, by
the vote of the principal bankers, and afterwards by acclamation in
an immense popular assembly convened for the purpose. He was
immediately recognized by the Turkish government.

CHAPTER IX.

THE ARMENIANS.

1840-1844.

The young Sultan, soon after coming to the throne, pledged himself;
in the presence of all the foreign ambassadors, to guard the
liberty, property, and honor of his subjects equally, whatever their
religious creed. No one was to be condemned without trial, and none
were to suffer the penalty of death without the sanction of the
Sultan himself. No person at all conversant with Turkey, would
expect such a change in the administration of the government to be
effected at once, nor indeed for a long course of years. Yet this
was the beginning of changes, which were momentous in their
influence on the Christian and Jewish population of Turkey.

There was now such a number of Armenian boys and young men around
the mission thirsting for knowledge, both religious and secular,
that a boarding-school for such could no longer be properly delayed.
Mr. Hamlin accordingly opened such a school at Bebek, on the
European side of the Bosphorus, six miles above Constantinople.

Mr. Jackson commenced a station at Erzroom in 1840. At first he was
almost disheartened when he saw how confidently the people rested
their hopes of heaven on saint-worship, and the rigor of their
fasts; but he soon saw reason to expect a better state of things.

Messrs. Dwight and Hamlin made a visit, about this time, to
Nicomedia. Their intercourse with the native brethren there was
generally private because of persecutors, but it was in the highest
degree satisfact